Wahala don burst for Iran as US F-15 fighter jet crash inside the country on Friday. The jet wey dey carry two crew members, one pilot and one weapons system officer, just fall from sky. As we dey yarn this report, US forces don rescue one of the crew members, but the second person still dey missing. Search and rescue mission dey ongoing full ground.
According to US officials wey talk to media like Axios and CBS News, the pilot wey dem rescue dey receive medical treatment. But the second crew member, na im dey cause concern. The rescue operation dey happen inside hostile territory, and Iranians don already begin dey look for the missing American. Iranian state media even announce reward for anybody wey fit capture the pilot and hand am over to authorities. For Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, governor promise ten billion tomans, wey be about $76,000, for the person wey go catch the “criminal American pilot.”
This F-15E Strike Eagle na serious warplane wey fit fight for air and attack ground targets. E dey carry two people: pilot for front, weapons system officer for back. The plane crash happen the same day wey another US military plane, A-10 Thunderbolt II wey dem dey call Warthog, also get hit by Iran. But for that A-10 case, the pilot manage to fly comot from Iranian territory before e eject, and dem rescue am.
Military experts wey TIME interview, Brigadier General Houston Cantwell and Major General Thomas Kunkel, explain how rescue mission for hostile area dey work. Kunkel wey be former rescue helicopter pilot talk say Air Force na the only service wey specifically train for this kain mission. Dem dey use training wey dem call SERE—Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape—to prepare aircrew for worst-case scenario.
“We spend our entire careers training for this scenario,” Kunkel yarn. “We go to extreme lengths to make sure we rescue and take care of our aviators that go into harm’s way.” Cantwell add say the rescue process na “very complex effort.” First priority na to locate the crew members, but enemy forces fit dey give false information about where dem land. “The most important piece of information is what is the location of the air crew. And that piece of information is so hard to get,” Cantwell talk.
For this rescue operation, Kunkel estimate say about 10 to 20 crew members go dey involved. Dem go use HH-60W rescue helicopter, HC-130J refueling aircraft, electronic jamming aircraft for cover, and A-10 Thunderbolt to provide suppressing fire if enemy forces try to attack. Daytime rescue fit turn to race with enemy forces, but nighttime operations dey help reduce risk from less advanced threats.
Other factors wey dey affect rescue include whether crew member fit move or e dey immobile, environmental conditions like desert or thick brush, and availability of water for survival. Cantwell say im biggest concern na capture. “I am certain that the Iranians would want nothing more than to get their hands on one of our aviators,” e talk. “It’s our aviators that have been inflicting this destruction on their country for the last three weeks.”
Meanwhile, for Washington, President Donald Trump don talk say the jet crash no go affect negotiations with Iran. “No, not at all. No, it’s war. We’re in war,” Trump tell NBC News. But e refuse to comment on wetin e go do if the missing crew member get captured or harmed. “We hope that’s not going to happen,” e talk to The Independent.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt say Trump don receive briefing about the fighter jet. Trump national security team also gather for White House on April 3 to discuss the situation. The war with Iran begin February 28 when US and Israel launch joint attack wey kill Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, 13 American service members don die, and over 300 wound. For Iran side, estimates show say over 3,000 Iranians don die.
CNN report say Israel postpone some of im planned strikes for Iran on Friday so as not to interfere with the search and rescue efforts. Israel also offer intelligence support to the US operation. Footage wey CNN verify show low-flying aircraft and dozens of people searching near Deh-e Ramezan village for the missing crew member.
For international reactions, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni talk say e disagree with Trump criticism of European nations over the war. Meloni wey dey Saudi Arabia to secure energy supplies for Italy say Italian economy dey feel the pinch of the war. Italy even block US aircraft from using military base for Sicily earlier this week.
UN Security Council dey expect to vote next week on Bahraini resolution to secure transit passage for Strait of Hormuz, wey don close since war begin. But China and Russia dey resist the move. China UN envoy Fu Cong talk say e go “legitimize the unlawful and indiscriminate use of force” and lead to escalation.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran parliament, mock US search for missing crew member. “After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they started has now been downgraded from ‘regime change’ to ‘Hey! Can anyone find our pilots? Please?'” Ghalibaf write for X. Since Khamenei death, Ghalibaf don emerge as strongman for Iranian regime.
Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts question Trump approach to the war after the jet crash. Moulton wey dey House Armed Services Committee talk say Trump assertion that US don eliminate Iranian anti-aircraft facilities put US troops “at grave risk.” “The commander-in-chief doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” the congressman talk.
For other developments, buildings at Shahid Beheshti University for Tehran suffer damage from US-Israeli strike on Friday. Iranian Red Crescent and local media report say female students dormitory and Laser and Plasma Research Institute affect. University condemn the attack as “inhumane” and “anti-science.”
For Abu Dhabi, falling debris from intercepted attack cause two fires at Habshan gas facilities, kill at least one person and injure four others. Emergency crews bring situation under control but facilities suffer significant damage.
Prediction site Polymarket briefly offer betting market on whether US fighter jet crew go get rescued, but dem take am down after criticism. “We took this market down immediately as it does not meet our integrity standards,” Polymarket talk for X.
This F-15 crash na first US warplane wey Iran shoot down for this conflict. E underline escalating risks to US personnel as Trump insist war go continue for another two or three weeks. Trump talk for April 1 speech say US dey “on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly” but major operations go continue. “We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” e talk. “We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong.”
Yet US intelligence assessments indicate Iran still maintain significant number of drones and missile launchers. The shoot-down show say US air superiority no be absolute, especially when Iran get hard-to-detect shoulder-launched MANPADs wey dem fit move easily.
One person wey flee Iran for safety talk say Iranians dey begin lose hope say war go benefit them, especially if Trump target civilian infrastructure. “We’re going to lose our infrastructure and they (the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) are going to stay [in power],” the person talk. Dem add say “everybody is praying for the US soldiers” wey involve for the crash.
For Karaj, west of Tehran, at least 13 people die and 95 injure when US strike hit B1 bridge on Thursday. Victims describe rocks falling “like rain on people’s heads.” US defense official tell CNN say the strike eliminate planned military supply route for Iran ballistic missile and attack drone force.
White House dey seek roughly $1.5 trillion for defense as part of fiscal 2027 budget request—increase of more than 40% compared to last year. The proposal include hefty raises of 5% to 7% for all military personnel. Meanwhile, nondefense spending go cut by 10%, affecting housing, social services, health care and other domestic programs.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte schedule to meet with Trump on Wednesday as president express frustration with alliance for lack of help in Iran. Rutte go also meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
As search continue for the missing crew member, military personnel recovery teams dey use sophisticated methods to locate both aircraft wreckage and crew. The two-man crew typically eject “almost simultaneously,” but wind and other factors fit separate dem once their parachutes open. Training focus on survival, evasion, resistance, and escape—with first priority being to get to safe location and make contact with rescue team.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
